Three-dimensional finite element for analysis of thin-shell constructions

The article regards the construction of a new finite element for calculating the middle thickness of shells on the basis of a modification of three-dimensional isoparametric 8-node element through introduction of a hypothesis of infinitesimality of compression strains and usage of the technique of approximation order reduction. The method of double approximations on superconvergence points has been applied. Effectiveness of the given approach is shown on numerical examples.